Affiliations 

  • 1 Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia Health Campus, 16150 Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia
  • 2 Department of Surgery, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia Health Campus, Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia
  • 3 Department of Pathology, Hospital Sultanah Nur Zahirah, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia
Iran J Otorhinolaryngol, 2018 Jan;30(96):65-68.
PMID: 29387667

Abstract

Introduction: Primary squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the thyroid gland is one of the rarest types of all reported thyroid malignancies worldwide. It is very aggressive in nature and carries a poor prognosis. The surgical resection with adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy is the most recommended treatment despite its poor reported outcome.

Case Report: A 74-year-old woman presented with a rapidly progressive neck swelling, with hoarseness and compressive symptoms. Physical examination revealed a multilobulated firm thyroid mass with unilateral vocal cord palsy. Histopathological findings confirmed the diagnosis of SCC while radiological investigations and panendoscopy findings ruled out the possibility of other primary tumors. A surgical intervention was performed; however, the patient eventually succumbed to death prior to undergoing an oncological treatment.

Conclusion: With no standard consensus to guide the management plan, SCC of the thyroid gland presents a great challenge for the managing team to come up with the best treatment option, due to its unfavorable rate of survival.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.